4 kids to a bedroom. That was the only way to stay warm at night during the harsh winters in these hills.

My experience with most Slovak people reveals that they generally have very good social skills. By that I mean to say they tend to be very polite and considerate as well as possessing good communication skills (when they choose to engage). Slovaks, I have found, are a patient people (especially compared to Americans) and are very socially minded. They love to gather in groups and celebrate life however it seems to me that recent trends have led to more isolation among people as well as independent attitudes. There is a huge gap between the older and younger generations because of the rapid social changes here in the past 15-20 years. Part of this can be attributed to the influence of west, particularly America, as young people begin to crave and acquire the lifestyles and trends seen in movies, music, clothing and other American industries. The older generation still clings to the heritage and culture of the past. I guess to some degree every society is struggling to maintain some connection to their cultural heritage and the people 40 and older are naturally the ones who make the effort to do so.